While staffing and policies are important elements of a campus’s climate, many other factors influence the experience for students and staff from day one. These include the quality and safety of the program’s physical space, meals, transportation, and available supplies. Effective summer learning programs should seem like a well-oiled and reliable machine to participating families and students. Behind the scenes, planning teams are recreating all operations required for the school year, often with fewer resources to plan, coordinate, and troubleshoot under the unique circumstances of summer.

Key Findings from RAND

• Program logistics have an outsized influence on overall program quality and staff, student, and family experience.

• Late planning exacerbated the challenges of transportation route planning, particularly in districts that allowed late enrollments.